


Moving On

by astudyinfic



Series: You Are Not Your Own [3]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Episode 2x12, M/M, Moving On, better but not perfect, getting better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-21
Updated: 2017-06-21
Packaged: 2018-11-16 20:46:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11260686
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/astudyinfic/pseuds/astudyinfic
Summary: With Alec's help, Magnus conquers his demons and works toward healing.





	Moving On

****

His nerves started to get the better of him just before he heard the knock at the door.  After a week apart and after Luke’s talk, Magnus still didn’t feel one hundred percent comfortable being alone with Alec.  He supposed that was something that would pass once he learned to trust his boyfriend again but his heart pounded in his chest when he felt Alec move through his wards. 

The fact that he knocked brought a smile to Magnus’ face; small, but there nonetheless.  Alec respected his boundaries, even when two weeks ago he would have walked in like he lived there.

He had basically lived there.

Magnus wanted to get back to where they had been but the first step in that was getting rid of the problem, the one that was truly to blame for everything that happened to him.  A flick of his wrist and the door opened, allowing Alec inside. 

“Magnus,” he breathed out and the relief on his face was so palpable that Magnus relaxed in response.  He knew Alec felt guilty, he knew he spent the better part of the last week tearing himself down.  If it had been any other situation, Magnus would have been right beside him building him back up again. 

He wouldn’t be the only one who needed to be fixed when this was all over.

“Alexander,” he smiled, warm and welcoming, a bit of façade but the sentiment remained.  “I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch.” 

Alec shook his head, moving until he stood just in front of him I'm.  “I should be the one apologizing to you.  You needed to time and I kept trying to make it about me.  On top of everything else I did, I don’t blame you for not wanting to see me for a while.” 

Realizing he understood better than Magnus imagined, he smiled and nodded.  “That is true.  Your guilt on top of my pain was one too many things for me to deal with at the time.  I forgive you, Alec.  For everything.  And I know we will need to talk about this more – I will need to talk to you about this more – but first I need your help.”

“Anything,” Alec promised without a moment’s hesitation.  “Whatever you need, Mags, I’m with you.” 

Offering his hand to Alec, Magnus led him to the living room, sitting next to him but not letting go of his hand.  After a week without feeling another person near him – despite being self-imposed – Magnus was touch starved and in need of this.  “I will tell you what we need to do but I think there are some things you need to know.  Do you know why Azazel did that to me and not any of you?  He could have picked any of us to switch with Valentine but he picked me.  Do you know why?”

“I figured it was because you were the one to summon him.  Or because he knew how much you would both hate it.  Valentine wouldn’t have had any issue being a Shadowhunter compared to a warlock.”  Alec paused, seemingly thinking it through.  “But, he used magic so maybe it wasn’t as much of an issue as we thought.  I don’t know.  Just tell me.”

“Because there is nothing a demon likes more than hurting family.  The realms of hell are always at war with each other, even if they are at war with the mortal world as well.  By attacking me, he attacked my father.”  He waited, knowing eventually Alec would put all that information together.

“What would a greater demon care about attacking your father unless…”  His eyes widened and Magnus knew Alec finally understood.  “Your father is a greater demon, isn’t he?”

He nodded, “He likes to think he is _the_ greater demon.  Asmodeus.”  Alec’s sharp breath had Magnus dropping his eyes once more.  “Trust me, there is no love lost between me and my father.  If I thought we could get rid of him, I would do it in a heartbeat.  Unfortunately, I haven’t found a way to destroy a greater demon permanently.  But I do know several ways to send them back to hell and bind them there.  Which is where you come in.  I need to do the spell and it is complicated.  It needs to be done while the demon is being sent back to hell.  So I am going to summon him and work the spell.  I need you to shoot him with an arrow the way you did before.” 

“How did you know about that?”  It wasn’t Magnus who had been with him when that happen, but Valentine. 

Smiling at him, Magnus squeezed his hand.  “Let’s just say Jace was proud of you; I am too for what it is worth.  He came and bragged to me for over an hour while I was in the cell.  I would have said something earlier but…”  No need to get back into that, not yet.  “So, think you can do it again?”  He raised a brow in challenge, knowing Alec was not one to turn down a chance to prove himself.

“Of course.  After everything he did, I would like a chance to go after him again.” 

Magnus nodded, satisfied with Alec’s answer and headed toward his work room.  “It won’t be as easy this time.  He’ll be expecting us.  He’ll have more tricks.  You will have to trust me, Alec, no matter what happens.  Trust me, okay?”

“With my life, Magnus.”

And he did.

After Magnus made the pentagram, things moved quickly after that.  Placing himself in a corner, Alec watched Magnus do the most complicated summoning he had ever seen.  Surely it would have been easier with two warlocks but Magnus insisted on doing this alone and Alec supported him. 

Azazel threw every trick he had at them and while there were times that neither seemed to know which end was up, when Magnus nodded at Alec, he didn’t hesitate and shot the arrow directly at the demon.  The high-pitched noise happened the same as the first summoning but this time they were ready. Though Alec fell to his knees, Magnus remained on his feet and finished the spell.  As Azazel screamed and was dragged by fiery chains back into the depths of hell where he belonged, Magnus finally collapsed, breathing heavily as sweat dripped from his brow.

“Are you alright?” Alec asked, by his side the moment the noise let up.  He helped Magnus to his feet and the warlock thought with a humorless smile that this time it actually was him who Alec helped.  Watching him life Valentine to his feet had been terrifying at the moment, having no idea what was to come.

He nodded once they were back in the living room.  Collapsing on the couch, Magnus closed his eyes.  “Thank you, Alexander.  That is one less thing to worry about.”  Of course, Azazel had to have been brought to earth by someone, though who would do such a thing remained a mystery.  It was a problem for another day.

Alec sat next to him, not touching but close enough that Magnus could feel his presence.  “Are we… Are we okay, Magnus?  You and me?”  The hesitation in his voice broke Magnus’ heart and he turned to look at him, forcing a smile onto his face despite his exhaustion.

“We have things to talk about still.  We aren’t perfect.  But we will be okay, I promise you.” 

He couldn’t say he had been through much that was worse than the body swap, but Magnus knew now that he had people who cared – more than he expected – and he had Alexander who was flawed, but trying so hard.  Magnus’ life felt full of love despite everything he had suffered.  He would get through it and he would be okay.

**Author's Note:**

> Well, that's it. I meant to have it up before the episode aired yesterday but life got in the way. Again, probably a mess but at least it feels complete to me and I received some catharsis from this little series. Hope other people liked it too.


End file.
